By admin 
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — A Raleigh man will be awarded the Carnegie Medal for Heroism for helping save a driver from a fiery crash last summer, a nonprofit said Monday.
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According to the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission, 46-year-old Larry Picket Sr. was driving with his family in Fort Montgomery, New York just before midnight on Aug. 31, 2025, when he came across an SUV that struck a utility pole, bringing down live power lines that included a primary line with more 12,000 volts and a secondary line with more than 200 votes.
Pickett and his 20-year-old son, Larry Pickett Jr., saw the driver of the SUV, 65-year-old David N. Denton was still inside his vehicle. They stepped over downed power line to reach Denton, who was not fully conscious, while flames broke out on the SUV’s passenger side, according to the commission.
Although power lines were lying on the SUV and electrical arcing could be seen underneath it, according to the commission, Pickett Sr. opened the driver’s door and removed Denton’s seatbelt after four attempts. He and his son were then able to get Denton out of the vehicle.
The commission said Pickett tripped and fell to the ground within inches of a downed power line while carrying Denton to safety, but was able to regain his footing and bring Denton to a grassy area away from the road with the help of his son.
According to the commission, the SUV was covered in flames after Pickett and his son rescued the Denton.
A fire chief and an electric engineer said the vehicle and surrounding area should have been electrified and could not explain how Pickett, his son, and Denton avoided being electrocuted, according to the commission.
According to the commission, Denton was treated for abrasions at the hospital and released, making a full recovery. Pickett and his son were not injured.
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Following the rescue, the City of Raleigh issued a proclamation naming Dec. 10 as Larry Pickett Day in honor of both Pickett Sr. and his son.
Speaking about the incident last December, Larry Pickett Sr. said, “[My son] and I both just started running towards the vehicle. We met each other there and we just had to get him out.
“When we were there, the car was already sparking,” he said. “There were sparks, there were bright white flashes while we were at the vehicle. You could hear the tires popping. You could smell the smoke. You could see the fire. When we got him across that road to safety, that’s when it just went up in flames. We knew that there wasn’t enough time for the firefighters to get there.
“We were there at the right place at the right time. God put us there to help that gentleman out of that situation. But if that were to happen right now in Raleigh, they’re not calling Larry Pickett to help the guy out of a car with power lines on it. They’re going to call 911. It’s really the people who do this every day that I want the recognition to go to.”
Larry Picket Jr., a cadet and football player at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, New York, also received the Soldier’s Medal from the U.S. Army in March, the highest honor for a soldier in a noncombat setting.
“We knew that car was about to catch on fire and whoever was in there was going to burn up,” Pickett Jr. said in an interview. “We couldn’t just watch and let that happen.
“I’m just extremely thankful that we were in the right place at the right time to help the gentleman,” Pickett Jr. said. “It just goes back to selfless service, the willingness to serve others. It feels good, but in the end, I’m just glad that everyone’s okay.”
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